The Seattle Seahawks may not be ready to take on true Super Bowl contenders around the league just yet. However, things are looking far, far better than they were at this time last year. In the wake of the Russell Wilson trade, the vast majority of analysts (ourselves included) believed Seattle was in for a rough year. At one point in the offseason, some places even had the Seahawks ranked dead last in the NFL.
Fast forward 400 days and this team is getting a whole lot more respect than they were in the spring of 2022. Here’s a review of where the Seahawks are being ranked around the web after the draft.
NFL.com: No. 12
“Geno Smith is in one of those pockets of life where everything seems to break your way… Seattle opted not to take one of the highly rated passers off the board with the fifth overall pick (opting for Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon), then added coveted Ohio State wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba with the 20th pick. Geno will enter his second season as starter in Seattle with a wide receiver trio (DK Metcalf, Tyler Lockett and Smith-Njigba) that has the potential to be as productive as any group in the league. The Geno-issance rolls on!”
USA TODAY: No. 12
“What appears to be another watershed draft might overshadow the significant defensive investment during free agency, including the return of MLB Bobby Wagner and additions of DE Dre’Mont Jones and DB Julian Love.”
Touchdown Wire: No. 12
From Mark Lane at Touchdown Wire:
“The Seahawks are all-in on Geno Smith, but it’s not like he hasn’t proven himself in Seattle. Adding cornerback Devon Witherspoon gives them a cornerback to complement Tariq Woolen. The running game should stay legitimate with Kenneth Walker entering his second season.”
CBS Sports: No. 15
From Pete Prisco at CBS Sports:
“In a weakened division, they have a chance to win it if San Francisco doesn’t solve the quarterback position. Geno Smith has to play like he did last year.”
The Athletic: No. 11
“Did you see how well John Schneider and Pete Carroll nailed our draft class last year? This year’s class could be half as good and still put us over the top in a down conference. Super Bowl, here we come.”
Fox Sports: No. 12
From David Helman at Fox Sports:
“A year ago at this time, we were debating which quarterback the Seahawks would select with their No. 1 overall pick. Shows what we know. Having added Dre’Mont Jones, Bobby Wagner, Devon Witherspoon, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Zach Charbonnet to a team that went 9-8, is it crazy to think they could compete for the NFC West?”
Pro Football Focus: No. 16
From Amelia Probst and Arjun Menon at Pro Football Focus:
“The Seahawks were favored to take a defensive lineman in the draft, so it was a bit of a surprise when they opted for cornerback Devon Witherspoon at fifth overall. However, when looking at their overall roster, they did need another cornerback to complement standout Tariq Woolen, and Witherspoon could be just that. In a division with wide receivers who excel after the catch, including Deebo Samuel, Cooper Kupp and Rondale Moore, Witherspoon’s aggressive mentality should serve him and Seattle well.”
Bleacher Report: No. 12
From BR Staff at Bleacher Report:
“The Seahawks continued that defensive focus in the draft, using their first pick on Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who was Bleacher Report’s highest-ranked cornerback in the class. While speaking to reporters, Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll likened Witherspoon’s makeup to a Hall of Famer who played for him at USC.”
